Growing up, Yvonne had a childhood that was familiar with inter-tribal conflicts and loss. The sudden death of her grandfather at a young age implemented the idea that “I don't push for tomorrow what I can do today,” she says. Yvonne grew up not knowing her biological parents and lived with her aunt; she often felt out of place in her home.
Her aunt taught her valuable lessons about independence during a time when women did not have the same autonomy as men. Many women needed permission from their husbands to do things, but Yvonne’s aunt helped to inspire her to not have to live that life. “I saw through her that it was not marriage that defined who a woman was, but the amount, the quantity of work that she does that could define and give her her personality, and I have those traits that I copied from her,” she says. Yvonne gained the confidence to be a strong, independent woman from the women that came before her in Cameroon and proved that she, too, could do it.
Rooted with passion from her upbringing, Yvonne vowed to never again see a woman be a victim of violence from a man. She became an avid women’s rights activist in her community, working towards equal access to things such as education and job opportunities. Yvonne’s passion for advocacy took off once she noticed that many women like her were trying to speak out about issues in their communities, but only a handful of them were given a platform to be involved in making those goals a reality. She co-founded the Network for More Women in Politics, along with the Cameroon Women’s Peace Movement, in order to amplify the voices of women in Cameroon and make a space for them to be involved in decision-making processes. Yvonne proclaimed, “so if they couldn’t invite us to those spaces, we [would] create our own spaces.”
Yvonne praises the empathetic nature that women possess and the significant role that women play in advocating for others, especially at the grassroots level. She has helped to give empowering opportunities to many women in Cameroon who were once raised on the narrative that they need to follow in the footsteps of men. Yvonne also works to bridge the gender gap in her community by hosting workshops that help train women to enter the workforce and succeed at male-dominated jobs.
The conflict in Cameroon has personally impacted Yvonne, forcing her to brutally lose her sister and her nephew. It has also impacted the advocacy work she strives to complete, and has left deep divides in her country. “My dream is to see a united Cameroon where citizens who sit around the same table look at each other eye to eye and address issues, seeking a common ground for posterity,” she says.